Polymer, Plastics & Composites

Polymer based material are finding an important role in building construction wherein they have proved viable substitutes for wood metal and concrete. With the advent of new developments, polymer product technologies are becoming reliable and their innovative product design concepts are increasingly meeting the present and future challenges of housing needs. Composites bars & prestressed tendons, retrofitting laminates, plastics wood, shuttering and formworks, crack bridging sealants, weather resistance coatings etc. are some of the recent materials that push their applications in the civil infra-structural development. Unlike the conventional materials, plastics and composites are relatively new and there is a need to pursue intensive research and development to generate useful information to help infuse confidence in the minds of the uses.

R & D AREA

Plastics building products

Timber substitutes

Polymers in construction

Polymer composites based on natural / synthetic fibers

Polymer modified bitumen• Water proofing compounds

Sealants and adhesives

Recycling and reuse of plastics waste

Weathering of plastics/composites

MATERIALS / PRODUCTS DEVELOPED

Composite door shutters

WPC based profiles and frames

Bituminous based waterproofing & sealing compounds

Natural fibre based laminates / panels / sheets

Pine needle composites boards

Geo-polymer based bricks

Processed fly ash

Hydrated flexible waterproofing membrane/ coating

Bitumen foam

Hybrid polymer network core for sandwich composites

Products Evaluation Facilities

Routine & Instrumental testing and analysis of:

Plastic tanks and pipes

Doors and windows

Prefabricated panels and shuttering plates

Natural fibre composite products

Waterproofing and sealing compounds

Polymer latexes / fibres

Polymer modified bitumen

Timber and timber substitutes

CAPABILITIES

The division is fully equipped to undertake research and development in the area of newer materials including Ph.D programme on composites in building construction, low shrinkage polymer matrices, weatherable epoxy resin, adhesives for particle boards manufacturingalternate materials from local resources, sandwich composites, calcium meta silicate (xenotlite) based inorganic wood etc. Significant contributions are made in the completed Mission Mode Projects such as Thrust area of CSIR, CMM, NATP on alternate building materials. Various products/ processes have been developed and patents on developed innovations are also granted. Some products are commercialized. Facilities are available for characterization of industry developed building products as per relevant codes. Linkage is also established with various S&T departments, users agencies and private industries.